Monday, 11 July 2016

Seventh Day Adventist Church Bulawayo Sex Scandal

In a case the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Bulawayo has shockingly attempted to carpet down investigations, a female victim now frustrated, has ended up seeking the courts for justice.

The woman, a respected married lawyer (name withheld), was allegedly abused by pastor Brighton Ndebele who forced his body onto her (and soon after began writing phone messages asking for more), according to the charges, but after reporting to the church leadership, the organisation’s clergymen at the weekend chose to block investigations.

Pastor Ndebele is alleged to have invited the female church member to his office intending to discuss church donations last month.

Seventh Day Adventist Church Bulawayo Sex Scandal

While in the office, the pastor allegedly asked for a hug and the lawyer turned him down.

Pastor Ndebele is alleged to have got her hand and dragged her by the waist. He then allegedly grabbed her buttocks and pressed her to his chest before she managed to wriggle free.

After the attack Pastor Ndebele sent Whatsapp messages to the woman asking for another encounter with her but she turned him down and that whole encounter infuriated her, prompting her to expose him. ZimEye.com is in possession of some of the WhatsApp exchanges after they leaked to the media.

Speaking during the church business meeting held at the church, one of the church elders, Elder Promise Ncube said they were not aware of the issue concerning the sexual harassment although he said they will investigate the matter following the publication of the story in the state media. “We as the church were not aware of such an issue and the complainant did not inform the church about this matter and we only heard about it in the media. We are urging the congregation not to be iudgemental on this issue or to speak to anyone until we carry out our own investigations, said Elder Ncube.

Church elders insisted that the matter was not reported to them as said by the complainant. But documented correspondences show that they received fully a written complaint dated 26 June 2016.

The lawyer who is married woman has since decided to lay charges on the pastor.

Efforts to get a comment from Pastor Ndebele were not successful as his phone was switched off after he reportedly traveled to the middle east.

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